


Dreams

by TheFlowerGirl



Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-10
Updated: 2019-07-10
Packaged: 2020-06-25 14:31:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19747636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheFlowerGirl/pseuds/TheFlowerGirl
Summary: Dipping my foot back into fandom after a ten year break.What if Aerith's death was just Cloud's reoccuring nightmare?A domestic bliss fic.





	Dreams

The sword slid out of Aerith's body with a sickening _shunk_. His feet felt heavy and unable to move on their own, yet he ran towards her. He was shaking as he caught her lifeless form, and as tears filled his eyes, he lightly brushed the hair from her face. Sephiroth laughed menacingly behind him.  
“Shut up.” He never took her eyes off of her. “The cycle of nature and your damn plan don't mean a thing. Aerith will never laugh, cry or get angry...what about us? What are we supposed to do? What about my pain?”  
He set the body of his beloved against the dais and drew his blade, hatred in his eyes.

Cloud awoke with a start. He was in his bedroom, a wispy lace curtain bringing in a gentle morning breeze through an open window. A vase full of yellow flowers—lillies sat on the windowsill. Pictures hung on the wall; smiling visages of a happy family. His wife laid next to him, face buried in the overstuffed pillow. Wavy brown hair spread out around her, and for a second he thought he was dreaming. He lifted her bangs and she buried her face deeper into the pillow. He slid out of bed and turned to the window, it was still early—the sun just rising over the trees. The window had a beautiful view of the backyard garden—lillies, daisies, and some pink flower he still couldn't remember. He pulled the curtain open a bit wider. His wife stirred.  
He smiled at the large picture on the far wall—the traditional wedding picture, but taken at the Gold Saucer during the reception. She was insistent they hang the silly one in their room, and so there it hung, all six wedding party members, plus an eggplant with a face on it shoved into one 10 by 13 frame. Around that hung other smaller pictures, documenting their children's lives: a blonde haired, green eyed girl, and her brother, blue eyed and brown haired. The girl's eyes were striking.  
His wife stirred. She threw herself on her back, and if he had any doubt about his nightmare, it was answered when she flitted open those same green eyes.  
“Close that curtain and come back to bed.”  
“...Aerith? You're alive.”  
It was half-question, half-statement, but it was enough for her to sit up in surprise. Her gently rounded belly rested above the salmon-colored blankets.  
“Yes. I am.” She looked at him blankly.  
Cloud threw himself into her arms, embracing her tightly.  
“I thought I'd lost you again.” he murmured into her hair.  
“Again? Babe, what are you talking about?” she asked as he pulled away.  
“I had that dream again. The one where you don't come back.”  
“I told you it's just a dream.”  
“But it was so real...I could feel you lifeless in my arms. I..couldn't save you.”  
He held back a sob, and Aerith pulled him into her arms. He rested his head on her belly.  
“How's the baby today?” he asked after a few moments.  
“Easier than Zack was,” she stifled a laugh. “But it is still early. She's probably still asleep.”  
Like clockwork, the bedroom door opened and a brown haired boy no older than four climbed into bed. He was the spitting image of his mother.  
“Ifalna woke me up.” he announced. “It's not mommy and daddy time is it?”  
Aerith burst out laughing.  
“Of course not, sweetie. Daddy's just listening to your new sister.”  
“Does she make any noise?”  
He put his head down on his mother's belly.  
“What are we listening for?” Zack was whispering.  
The baby kicked and he giggled, kicking his legs up off the bed. The door creaked, and Ifalna stood in the doorway, curly blonde hair matted to one side and carrying a ratty stuffed bunny. The three year old crawled into bed, laying over her father.  
“I wanna listen to the baby too!” she announced, crawling between her mother's legs and placing her head on her mother's belly.  
“Should we call all our friends in here too?” Aerith asked with a laugh as Cloud snuggled up next to his wife.  
“We could, if you really wanted,” he joked.  
She rolled her eyes.  
“I think these two are enough. For now.”

They sat in silence for a while, their two children happily sleeping on Aerith's belly.  
“I _told_ you that I'd come back when it was all over.”  
Cloud's phone vibrated on the nightstand. He threw his head back against the headboard.  
“Don't make any deliveries today. Just stay here today. Enjoy this.”  
She slid her hand in his, fingers entwining. He reached for the phone.

Later, as all four of them slept in the large bed, Cloud dreamed. This time, he didn't stand helplessly as the woman he loved fell lifeless into his arms, but instead, he was surrounded by all his friends as they kissed to falling flowers in the old abandoned church where they first met. Six of his friends, and his bride shoved themselves into the gondola where they had their first date.Yuffie pulled an eggplant from somewhere and set it in the middle of the gondola.  
“Look at its face!” Aerith exclaimed, picking it up and setting it on Cloud's lap. He turned cherry. “It's lil' Eggplant Cloud!”  
She insisted on having it in every wedding photo, and even took it home where it sat on the mantel for a week until she finally decided to cook it for supper.  
“I'm going to miss lil' Eggplant Cloud!” she said as she washed that evening's dishes.  
“I really wish you didn't call it that.” Cloud said, insisting on drying the dishes.  
“It really does look just like you!” she tried to stifle a giggle.  
“Oh my god!” he exclaimed, laughing as hard as his new wife was. “You really _are_ terrible.”  
“That's my line.”  
Her lips were on his then and nothing else mattered.


End file.
